Mis/dis information now a full crisis – NCCE Chair

Chairman of the National Commission for Civic Education, Ms. Kathleen Addy has expressed deep concern about the proliferation of mis/disinformation and fake news, describing it as a crisis that threatens the very fabric of the democratic system of governance we have adopted as a country.

All indications point to the fact that this menace has broken barriers and currently penetrated many jurisdictions, eventually becoming a global situation that needs a holistic approach to nip it in the bud.

Ms. Addy, addressing a gathering during the launch of the study report on the “State of Mis/Disinformation, Polarization, and State Threats to Ghana”, intimated that mis/disinformation is an age-old canker that has transcended many centuries and generations. She, however, highlighted that it gained prominence in Ghana during the 2016 electioneering year. “The 2016 elections was an eye-opener to this menace, and Ghana should be ready for a bumpy ride if we continue on the trajectory of accommodating mis/disinformation”, she revealed.

“The rise of social media, which serves as a primary source of information, is also a breeding ground for the spread of false information”, she indicated, calling for pragmatic measures to be put in place to find a balance in the exercise of freedom of speech and the propagation of falsehood.

This call was amplified by Dr. Paul Achonga Kabah Kwode, a researcher at the Tamale Technical University, during his presentation on the findings of the study. Dr. Kwode recommended a regulatory system for the digital space, which, according to him, can be considered as one of the many ways of holding the bull by the horn as far as the canker of mis/disinformation is concerned.

Meanwhile, other speakers, such as the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission, in his remarks, showered praise on MFWA for the impeccable work done in compiling the report, underscoring that it is one that looks at the prevalence of the menace through the whole process of communication, thus, from the sender through a channel to the receiver.

Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Benjamin Bano-Bioh, delivering his message on behalf of the electoral body, stated that even though mis/disinformation hampers electoral activities, the EC is committed to a transparent electoral process.

Additionally, the NCCE Chairperson, speaking to a concern to have more civic education-related content on the traditional media, proposed that the state media regulator should make it a condition for media outlets to dedicate some airtime to serve such a purpose, which could be leveraged by staff of NCCE in their engagements with the public.